More then freedom
by Cosmic Guardain
Summary: Fighting for one's own freedom is difficult, but creating salvation for all can mean so much more.
1. Getting cought

Welcome to possibly the first freedom wars fanfiction, hopefully this will become something everyone will enjoy. Without further ado let's get into it. %_()

Chapter. 1

Most of us are accustomed to working for a reward. We get paid for a completed job, and there's a bonus when our effort exceeds expectation. Then why do so many people assume salvation depends upon our actions when that is simply not the case.

If salvation depended on our inadequate self-righteousness, nobody could be saved.

...

"Get away you drones!" In the ruins of Los Angeles a young man ran and climbed away from his pursuers. Four men wearing tan tranch coats and large silver visors that covered their eyes, each of them aimed with an assault rifle taking shots at the their prey.

The one they were chasing as a nineteen year old boy, with black hair and brown eyes. He wore a leather jacket over a yellow shirt, blue jeans with holes in the knees, and black boots.

The boy ducked into an alleyway, dodging a halestrom of bullets. When the men ran into the alley the boy was gone, they looked around till one looked up to see the boy climbing up the side of the building, going inside.

One of the men threw a sticky grenade on a wall and they all ran out, after the explosion torn a hole in the wall they charged inside.

The boy looked around for an escape before he was caught, he jumped over the alley to the building on the other side. His feet landed on a steel rod and he perched on it to not fall. A door on the other building opened and the men found him and took aim.

The boy grabbed the rod and kicked off to hang from it, the men opened fire but the wall behind the boy protected him. When the gunfire stopped the boy swung a couple of times to build up the speed needed to get back up on the rod. He looked back to see the men were going back downstairs.

The boy used the rods ahead of him as stepping stones to move over the rubble, going a few city blocks away he finally stopped hearing gunfire and found ground to stand on. He climbed up the building he was in to the fourth floor when his home was.

The boy took a breath knowing he got away. When he opened an elevator door he felt something pointed hit him in the chest, knocking him to the ground.

He looked up to see a woman stand over him, pointing a black short sword at him. The woman had green hair and eyes with red glasses. She wore a long red coat that nearly touched the ground but only covered her left leg, dark legging with red and black knne pads and heels. What drew attention was the red glowing rope with spikes wrapped around her left arm.

"Connar Vaniah, you thought you'd enjoy stealing for the panopticon worm." She scolded.

The boy now named Connar launched his feet up to push himself into a handstand and fall back to stand up, kicking the woman's sword away and behind him. "Finally discided to send a human after me did you now? That's what, the thirteenth time I escaped your accessories? Fourteenth?"

The woman spun to do a roundhouse kick but Connar caught her leg, blue energy formed in her and hand, forming a sniper rifle. She swung the rifle at Connar, hitting him in the side of the head and let's go of her.

She aimed to shoot him but Connar grabbed the sword behind him to block the shot. He swung the sword, knocking the gun away and punched her in the nose.

Connar switched the sword into a reverse grip and tried to decapitate the woman. She ducked the blade and tackled him down, she punched Connar a couple times till he grabbed her arm and puched her off.

He threw the sword at the woman but she dodged it to her left, letting the sword impale in the wall. She pointed her left hand at Connar, the rope on her aim extended and clung to Connar. She raised her aim and dragged Connar into the ceiling, then to the ground. She did this three times before her rope let go.

The woman prided her sword from the wall, she kicked the boy in the ribs to flip him on his back. "You are guilty of none contributing to your panopticon, and now you're free ride is over worm."

"Go to hell lap dog." The woman kicked Connar in the head, knocking him out.

...

Connar slowly opened his eyes, he was surrounded by what looked like waves of blue energy, the same type that woman used to make a gun. "Oh, she got you good!" A girl came into his line of sight, this one wore a sleeveless hoody with the hood up and over a ballcap with eyes on it, sleeves that didn't connect to the hoody, black boots and socks that almost reached her thighs with straps on them. Her eyes had a teal glow and her lower right eye lash was larger then the rest.

She leaned closer to Connar as he struggled to stand. "You can see me, can't you?"

"Yeah, who are you and where am I?"

She stepped back grinning. "Good, nice to meet you. Welcome to the immaterial plain, a magical, mystical realm between life and death." The girl held up her hand as she spun around.

"Are you saying I'm dead or near dead?"

The girl laughed at the qeastion. "No you're not dead, not yet anyway. I'm Aries, Aries M."

"Connar Vaniah."

"Hmm... Yeah, I like it! Nice name!" Aries eyed Connar curiously. "And you don't looked... too bad, either."

"Well, thanks I guess." Connar started to feel awkward with this girl checking him out.

"You're lucky you can see me, you know... It means that there is something very, very important you have to do." Aries gave one more look over Connar. "And I think you might really be able to do it, you know!"

Connar finally got on his feet to look her face to face. "And what do you think I can do?"

"You can bring an end to the fighting. You can bring about the great transfromation."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa slow down. I'm looking to change the world, I'm not that foolish." Connar held out his hands. "Besides you want some hero for that, some high ranked sinner, I'm a thief that got caught. So what does that tell you."

"Heroes aren't born you know, they're made." Aries looked around then back to Connar. "Looks like it's wakey wakey time. Oh can't believe I almost forgot, you'll be meeting her soon. And when you do, you have to help her."

"Who will I meet? Can you give me a name or appearance?"

Aries laughed and patted Connar on the head. "We'll meet again soon, I'll let you know then. Bye for now!"

"No stop! Wait!" Everything faded away into white as Aries waved good bye.

...

Connar slowly woke up, he looked around to find himself in a cell with steel walls, a metal board for a bed and a large green screen on the wall. Connar ran to the door, trying to to look out of the small window but found it was covered. "Great, didn't think I'd end up here."

A chime rang in the cell. "Good morning sinner, wakey wakey rise and shine!" On the big screen a bear appeared, wearing hat and drums around its waist held up with suspender, a blue armband, and held a microphone.

"Pedo bear!" Cried Connar, pointing at the screen.

"Today is the first day to your new life as a productive member of your society." The bear switched to a pouting stance. "You've been very naughty, you know. How could you? How could you just steal from your panopticon and give nothing back."

Connar folded his arms, shacking his head in disgust. "Not giving back is the point of stealing."

"Well then, you're going to be educated as a rank one sinner. Oh and start with a one million year sentence, okay with you?"

"No that's not okay with me!" The screen turned red with a notice on it saying a million years have been added. "And wondered why I'm a nonconformist."

The bear started clapping its hands. "This is your first step in becoming a productive, meaningful member of the most idyllie society in the whole wide world." Connar cringed at the cartoon character. "Oh you'll be needing an accessory, our panopticon is nothing if not unfairingly generous."

"And what if I don't want to be a member of your society!" Connar shouted.

The bear grow massive, its face filled the whole screen. Connar fell backwards in suprise. "Too bad!" The bear disappeared, leaving the thief alone again.

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There it is, the first chapter to the first freedom wars fanfiction. How many get to say that?

Anyway please review it helps to keep me motivated. Till next time CG out. Peace!


	2. Speed training

Chapter. 2

Connar stood in his cell, looking around for anything he could use to breakout. He turned to the door when he heard footsteps on metal getting closer.

The cell door opened, letting a man in a tan tranch coat and blue hair walk in. This one didn't wear the big visor, leting Connar see his orange eyes. "Scan compete. Confirming utopedia data match... Confirmed. Cell occupant in an officially registered sinner belonging to this panopticon."

"Stupid machines." Muttered Connar.

"Initiating self-introduction protocol... Greetings, I am your accessory. I shall be your constant companion. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Sawd off."

"Preparing to launch education initiative... Commence operation?"

"Fine, if it'll get me outside."

A loud beep came from the accuracy. "You are a sinner. You are guilty of the most serious infringement of the people's charter: being an unproductive drain on resources. For this crime you have been sentenced to one million year of penal servitude."

"Funny, you get a million year sentence for existing!"

"You will not be free until you have served or worked off this sentence in it entirely." Connar punched the accessory but it cought his hand, the accessory shoved Connar against the wall, pinning him with its arm on his chest. "You are required to make amends for your crimes. Until you have done so, you will not be grated freedom."

Connar looked at all the cameras in the top corners of the cell then back to the accessory. "You are not permitted to escape. You are not permitted to take your own life. You are not permitted to refuse to serve your panopticon. You are not permitted to sleep lying down. You are not permitted to speak of or think about the future. You are not permitted to do anything you have not been explicitly granted the right to do. I am required to subject you to continuous surveillance in order to ensure that you do not violate these, or any other, rules."

The accessory released Connar and stepped back. "Welcome to the panopticon."

"You mean welcome to hell." Connar straighten out his jacket. "You want me to fight in your pointless, endless war right? Then let's get started."

"You will now be transferred to the training facility. Be aware that code 1 sinners are permitted visual stimulation beyond the walls of their cells and the field of battle." The accessory handed Connar a visor.

"You're kidding me,right?" The machine stared at him. "Thought so." The new sinner took the item and put it on.

...

After some blind waking Connar was lead to the training ground, there the accessory put two black cases on his back and a red spiked rope on his right arm. "These are your will'o cases and thorn. The cases are used to store your weapons and any you find in the field, your thorn will help you move around."

"Don't I feel special." A door opened and Connar walked in.

When Connar heard his accessory say go je took off in a dead run, the first room held nothing so he just dashed to the other side. In the next room there was a small wall, Connar jumped over it and moved to the next.

This time he was boxed in by a ten feet tall wall in front of him and on both sides of him the walls looked to be three times higher. The accessory started talking about the thorn but Connar jumped at the wall before him.

He planted his foot on it and kicked to get higher and grabbed the ledge, pulling himself up. Once on top Connar saw the rest of the room was lower and apart from a couple of pillars, empty.

On the other side Connar could see the lighr from the next behind another wall. He jumped off and rolled into a landing, dashed to the next wall and did the samerthing to get to the other side.

The room had only a few boxes in the center, looking in the Connar found some grenades, adrenaline pills, and some ammo. He grabbed it all and moved on.

The next door opened and Connar saw a red humanoid pointing an assault rifle at him. Connar hid beside the door, waiting for the bullets. When nothing happened he spied inside, then stepped into the open but it just stood there.

Connar waved his hand over his will'o cases and an assault rifle appeared in his hands, Connar walked toward the red dummy,shooting it till it dropped to the floor.

The sinner spun around to find two more of the dummies and shot them down as well. Connar reloaded his gun and moved on.

Connar found the last room, inside the dummies were spread out on different heights and behind cover. Connar aimed carefully, get a head shot on each kill.

A siren went off as a sigh that the training was finished. "Education compete, please return here." Connar signed and walked all the way back.

On his return an accessory with a visor was waiting for him. "Twenty years have been worked off of your sentence."

"Goody, maybe I'll get somewhere in twenty years at this rate."

The accessory held its hand out. "Hand over the adrenaline pills and any donations."

"What?"

"You found resources that you are not permitted to keep. Refusal to donate them will extend your sentence." Explained Connar's accessory

Connar gave the visor accessory the pills along with the spare ammo he found. "This donation will take another eighty years off your sentence."

"Better then the training? Whatever gets me out faster." Another door opened and Connar was more then happy to get away form the lifeless machines.

At the end of the hall Connar winded up in a room with an abductor. It was a basic biped type without any weapons, it stood there not doing a thing.

Connar used his thorn to throw a cord at the abductor's shoulder and pull himself to it. Connar held on and began shooting the head till he was out of ammo. The sinner waved his gun over the will'o cases and it changed to a bent short sword.

He then stabbed into the shoulder and pry it off, Connar jumped off the abductor to see his handy work. The abductor's neck guard was gone and the metal parts of its arm wre on the ground, just a blob of will'o goo hung from its where its arm was.

Half a clip into the head and Connar brought the machine down. Connar watched the abductor explode then move on. In the next room he found another abductor this time the will'o container in the machine's chest held someone in it.

Connar grappled to the abductor's chest and stabbed it, he slowly cut it open till person inside fell into his arms. Connar kicked off the abductor, carrying the person to the platform behind the abductor. "You okay?" He asked to only find this too was a dummy.

With the dummy civilian in the capsule Connar jumped on the machine's back and severed its spine to finish it.

The siren went off in the room, fallowed by his accessory's voice. "Education compete, please return to your cell."

...

Back in the cell Connar just sat down before his accessory spoke up. "Education initiative compete. You are now entitled to undertake regular operations."

"So I earned the right to work, nice to know I have to earn freedom to work to get freedom. God damn slave drivers all of you."

"An operation has just become available, you are encouraged to sign up."

"Why am I even talking to you?" Connar rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Yes sign me up! any excuse to see the outside."

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Please review it keeps us writers going, till next time CG out. Peace!


	3. Life as a sinner

Chapter. 3

Connar removed the blinder to find himself inside a military carrier, at the far end two other sinner waited for him.

One of them looked to be Connar's age, he had pink hair and teal eyes, a green jacket and shorts.

The other was a much older muscular man, he had whilte hair and yellow eye, worn an orange tanktop and a big shoulder padon his right side.

"Good to finally meet you sinner, your looking pretty chipper." Said the older man.

"Hey, is this that piece of shaz you were telling me about?" Asked the pink haired teen.

Connar ajusted his sleeve ends as he walked past the teen and offered his hand to the older man. "Hello, I'm Connar Vaniah. I'll try not to get in your way."

"I'm Uwe, my job is to show you two the ropes. This is your first time fighting, am I right?" Uwe shook Connar's hand fermly.

"My names Mattis, he said your a thief so I best guard my cash around you." The teen said.

Connar nodded to Uwe. "Yeah, but I've seen sinners fight a few. Don't worry I'm good at climbing and the thorn only helps."

"So that's how you've lived off the grid for so long." Connar didn't even look at Mattis. "Hey why do we get you as an instructor, why couldn't we you know, get a prettier one?"

"Heh, or maybe I get you transferred to latrine duty? How about that, wise guy?" Asked Uwe.

Mattis backed away and ran his hand through his hair. "Alright, enough talk already! There's a citizen out there waiting for a hero like me to come save'em! Let's get this turkey shoot outta the way before I die of old age!"

Connar took a seat on the opposite side of the other two. "What are we facing?"

"A basic biped type, but it'll have a few melee type mk l with it. They look like spinning blades."

"Got it, I'll do my best."

"Hey! Stop acting like I'm not here!" Yelled Mattis, but Connar still didn't listen.

...

They arrived at the location ready to go, Mattis drew from his cases an oddly shaped long sword and Uwe put on a pair of brass knuckles.

Connar drew his assault rifle and dashed ahead of the others. Four melee types came floating towards them, they're blades extended and spinning.

Connar ran to the first one and front flipped over it, he landed on the second, slamming it to the ground with his weight and blasted the third. Connar rolled under the last one and took off running.

"What was that!?" Mattis watched Connar ran away, obviously to the machines he left behind.

Uwe drew a rocket launcher from his cases, blasting the two melee types. "Stop daydreaming and go after him!"

Connar rounded a couple of corners and found the abductor. The biped tried to Connar but he used his thorn to grapple up to the second floor of a building. Connar jumped off the wall, landing on the abductor shoulder and stabbed it.

The sinner cut halfway through when the abductor crouched, Connar back flipped off the machine as it hopped up and down.

The other two arrived and began shooting it. "Grapple the legs!" Connar shouted.

"Who put you in charge!"

Uwe smacked Mattis in the back of the head. "Just do it." The two's thorn lached on to the aabductor's knees and dragged it down.

Connar slid under the machine just as it fell, he got back on his feet and jumped on the abductor's pod. Connar glanced back to see Uwe holding a rocket launcher and Mattis holding an assault rifle. "Uwe shot the head! Mattis shot the right!" He yelled, sinking his blade into the pod.

The abductor arm broke off from Mattis' and his accessory's gun fire and the head took a lot of damage from Uwe and his and Connar's accessory, the machine started getting up and Connar kicked off the chest. The pod was badly damaged, leaking a lot of will'o. "Uwe, blast the pod!"

The veteran aimed and fired, the the pod exploded, letting the citizen loss and the abductor fell to its knees again. Connar caught the citizen and leaped away form the abductor as will'o burst from it.

After more gunfire the abductor explode again and fell forward. "You okay?" He asked the citizen in his arms. It was woman wearing a suit and had white hair, she just buried face into his chest.

Connar carried the citizen to a capsule and boarded he carrier with his team.

"That was excellent sinner, fighting like that will get you up the ranks in no time." Praised Uwe.

"It was basic acrobatics, something I learned from climbing around this city's ruins for two years."

"Guess you've gotta be pretty good to avoid the peace and stability accessories for that long." Said Mattis. "Seriously that was that shaz!"

"Shaz isn't a word." Pointed Connar.

...

Back in the cell Connar laid on the cold metal that was to be his bed when his accessory chimed in. "You do not have the right to recline. Your sentence has been extended." The large green sscreen flashed red, showing ten more years have been added.

"Screw it." Connar closed his eyes to fall asleep.

"Only me!" Connar woke up and to see the cell's atmosphere changed to purple and Aries and in the cell with him. "Welcome back to the immaterial plain. The magical mystical realm between life and death! Pretty spooky, right? "

Connar took a moment to feel the atmosphere. "Actually, it feels strangly calming."

Aries smiled in approval. "Now do you remember all thw stuff I told you when we first met?"

"Yeah it was earlier today, or yesterday. I don't know how long I was out after I fought that woman in red."

"It's almost time... are you ready?"

"You mean this great transfromation."

"She's going to need your help."

"You mentioned a girl before, how is she in trouble?"

"Hurry! She can't wait forever!"

"Who! You tell me to do something but I need more to go on."

"Without her, the great transfromation will never happen!"

"Who do you mean!" Connar stood up for the metal bed. "I need a description, or at least of name!"

Aries shook her head. "Oh. looks like it's time for you to wake up... But we'll meet again soon!" The cell went dark as Aries vanished.

Connar wake up and rolled off the bed, falling on to the metal floor with a thud. "Ow." Was his only statement.

"Good morning." The android piped up. "Vital signs are normalized. Condition is now adequate."

"Stupid machine."

"An operation has been issued and assigned to you by the office of peace and stability. Sign up when ready."

"I need breakfast first!" Connar rose up from the floor, rubbing his eyes open. On the opposite side of the door a window opened, sliding a tray with a bowl of oatmeal and a slice of bread. "Really? I mean, really?"

Connar took a bite of the warm goop and gagged on it. "Are you kidding me! This is not how a human being should live!" He yelled at the cameras, his words fell on deaf ears.

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Please review it keeps us writers going, till next time CG out. Peace!


	4. The one who put me here

Chapter. 4

Connar removed his blinder to find himself back in the sinner transport, once again finding Uwe and Mattis. Connar took a seat across from the two.

"Morning sinner." Announced Uwe. "Our target this time out is an abductor with a serious weapons loadout. We're gonna have our work cut out."

"What are we talking about here, rockets?"

"Yeah, a megallanican carrier biped." Connar put his knuckles to his lips, looking elsewhere. Uwe got a chuckle out of the act. "I know that look, you hatching a plan?"

"I've seen a carrier before, I think I got a plan but you two will need to fallow it exactly."

"Huh!? Your in charge, again?" Wined Mattis.

"Ever see an abductor before becoming a sinner?" Asked Connar.

"No."

"You ever survive in the ruins, having to steal everyday, knowing your luck gets worse each time?"

"No."

"Then shut it."

"Whatever big shot." Mattis shrugged a bit. "Gah! What is with all these operations, anyway? All I want is an easy way to move up in the world and live in the lap of luxury. Is that too much to ask?"

"You're gonna die out there soon."

"What's that suppose to mean?" Connar just laid back, not responding. "Fine don't talk, I know how to do it. Why don't we just... not hand over the super rare resources we find? You know just... quitely keep'em! Shaz, that's the answer! I'm a genius!"

Connar rolled his head to look at the accessories, that just heard him. "Very soon."

...

The transport stopped, letting the sinners out on the desert. There they found the abductor, the machine had no arms but missile pods on its shoulders, connected to its upper body with two will'o pods.

"Everyone, aim for the missile pod on the right!" Uwe, Mattis, and the three accessories drew their guns while Connar drew his sword.

The group opened fire, Connar grappled to the left will'o pod and stabbed it. The abductor launched a couple of missiles from both its pods, causing the group to disperse. The abductor crouched then jumped, Connar kicked off the machine as it had its temper tantrum.

When it stopped, Connar regrappled to the pod, continuing to pry it open. Connar pulled out his sword and smashed the hilt on the glass, when the will'o pod opened the abductor fell to its knees.

"Gimme your hand!" Connar got the citizen out of the abductor and away as one of its missile launchers exploded. "Get the other one I'll be back!" Connar toss the citizen over his shoulder and ran for the RRU.

The teen got to the capsule and gently lowered the citizen. "Just stay here, I'll be back with your friend."

Back at the fight the abductor's head let off a flash of light, an orb of energy appeared near its enemies and exploded. But not before one of Uwe's rockets blow of the abductor's last weapon.

Connar grappled on to the other will'o pod, this one was easier to rip open thanks to some stray bullets. When Connar pried it open the abductor fell to its knees again.

The sinner got the citizen out and ran, leaving the broken abductor to the others.

With some good sword swings from Mattis, a few punched from Uwe, and a lot of Bullets the abdouctor broke apart, now nothing more than scrap.

"Alright!" Shouted Mattis. "I'm gonna grab me some resources! Don't even try to stop me."

Uwe folded his arms and watched. "Go ahead, see what happens."

"Come on man, it'll be fine! no one'll ever know."

Connar started walking to join the two till something grabbed his arm. "Not so fast, you miserable leech!"

The sinner spun around to the familiar voice, before him was the woman he fought and trapped him here. With three accessories at her side.

"You! Your the one who put me in this nightmare!" Connar pulled away from the accessorythat had him, he put his hand on his wrist but stopped moving when the accessory held its hand out. Waiting to bind him if need be.

"Who are you?" Aske Mattis when he got there.

The woman turned her attention to Mattis. "You have embezzled stated owned resources. In light of this grave violation of the people's charter, your sentence will be extended."

Mattis watched his sentence go up by a hundred years. "W-w-wait! No! Aww man! If you guys would only be more generous with the rewards, we wouldn't have t-"

The woman stomped her exposed leg forward, silencing the rookie. "Listen very carefully, worm: you have no right whatsoever to question the methods of your panopticon." She dragged her foot back, kicking up dust at her accessories.

"Operation rewards are precisely calculated to reflect the exact degree to which the sinners receiving them have contributed to the greater good." She passed her glare at both Connar and Mattis. "As inexperienced nobodies, you amount to little more than a drain of your society's resources and goodwill."

"Goodwill? So funny I forgot to laugh." Respond Connar.

The woman looked over Connar, then pushed her glasses up. "Just what I would expect from a thief. You only take, giving nothing in return!"

"Who are you calling nobodies!? You-" The accessory moved its hand from Conner and to Mattis, binding his arms to his sides.

Uwe stepped up to reason with the woman. "Listen, Natalie, go easy on the kid, will you? I should've kept a closer eye on him. If anyone is to blame, it's-"

"Ugh! How pathetically noble of you." The woman cut him off. "Well, if your that keen to share the blame, I'd be only too happy to extend your sentence too." Connar saw his and Uwe's years go up by only fifteen. "Uwe, it's all very well feeling a sense of responsibility for your charges, they are not punished, how do you ever expect them to learn? Take him away."

The accessories took Mattis and dragged him away, the woman glanced at Connar, who waved his thumb over his neck. Wording 'your dead' to her. She looked at Connar, waiting for him to back down but he didn't. The huffed then left.

"That could have gone worse." Said Uwe. "In case you were wondering, that was Natalie '9' woo. She's with the office of peace and stability. Her job is to keep sinners like us in line. And ahe loves her job."

"I can tell, how many sentences has she extended under the charter of because I felt like it?"

"Hm, that's a good one. Listen, if you don't want to end up like Mattis, I recommend you keep your nose clean."

...

Back in his cell, Connar used his entitlement points to buy the right to recline so he could lay down without his accessory yelling at him.

Connar slept for a couple of hours before his accessory woke him. "The conditions required to take the level 2 code exam have been met. Your efforts have been duly noticed." Connar just sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Level 2 code exam has been issued and assigned to you."

"Then sign me already, it's got to be better than this." The accessory handed Connar the blinder. "Here we go again."

As Connar walked blindly, his accessory filled him in on the mission. "A valuable resource belonging to the panopticon has been seived by enemy forces. Resource in question is citizen Julien Sadat #e. Orders are to reclaim the subject from a hostile abductor."

At the end of the blind walk Connar was back in the transport, this time just Mattis was waiting for him. "So you're taking this code exam too, huh, right?"

"I guess so, must not be much if you're here too."

"Hey! I'm better then you'll ever be, you shaz!"

"I can feel myself getting dumber listening to you, shaz is not a word!" Connar looked over to his accessory. "Hey tin can, why are we here?"

The machine beeped a few times before answering. "Sinner Connar has showen talent for combat, leading his first two operations has proven quick thinking." The accessory processed more data. "Sinner Mattis is here for support, as a level one sinner can't act alone."

"And there you have it, you're here out of pity."

"Shut up you shaz! I'll prove I'm better then you!"

"That would take work, thought you wanted an easy life?"

Mattis stuttered and mumbled as he paced the transport for a few seconds, he kept glancing at Connar who watched him with desinterest. "Word is, code 2 sinners get the keys to the con! Well, they're allowed outside their cell, at least... No more staring at the wall all day for us, pal!"

"That's something at least, can get fresh air without some machine trying to crush me."

"Yeah! Right now, we're the lowest of the low. But it's time to move up in the world!"

Connar shook his head. "Won't mean anything if you die, we a man down for this so fallow my lead and we'll-"

"No way! Both times you've been calling the shots, I only fallowed because Uwe was there. Now there's no reason to listen to you."

Connar laughed at the other teen's plite. "Okay then, you want it the hard way? You do your thing I'll do mine, see who gets the job done first."

"You're on!" Mattis offered a handshake, which Connar accepted.

"Just blame me when you die." Connar grinned out of pity.

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Please review it keeps us writers going, till next time CG out. Peace!


	5. On to code 2

Chapter. 5

The transporter stopped in the raining city, opening up to let loose its sinners.

"Alright! Let's get this Shaz over with already!"Mattis jumped out of the transport, with his gun drawn running towards the first melee type mk he could see.

Connar climbed out as well and scanned the area while Mattis fought off the bladed machines. The sinner grappled to a building, flying to its second floor. "Hey Mattis! Need a hand?!"

"No way, I got this!" One of the rodots charged into him. Mattis' large sword saved him but still knocked him back. Connar drew his assault rifle, shooting in bursts to destroy the machines. "I said I had that!"

"See you on the other side!" Connar climbed up some broken rods to reach the third floor, he grappled to another building then ran through it to find the abductor. It was a normal biped with huge generators on its shoulders, giving off purple waves of energy.

Connar watched from his hiding spot, waiting for the right time to strike. On the ground Mattis and their accessories found the abductor and opened fire, but none of the shots hit because of the abductor's shield.

"Huh!? What's the deal with this guy!? Our bullets are just bouncing right off!" Wined Mattis, he reloaded and fired again.

Connar grappled to the abductor's left shoulder and started cutting at the generator.

"You're not beating me!" Mattis grappled his thorn on the abductor's leg, pulling it down.

Connar held on as the the giant rodot fell, when it was over Mattis drew his large sword and slashed at the will'o pod. Connar got the generator off just as the abductor got back on its feet, it looked down at Mattis and punched him into the ground.

"That's gotta hurt." The former thief climbed onto the machine's right elbow to sever it.

Mattis' accessory used its will'o energy to revive him. The rookie grappled to the left shoulder, trying to break its arm off by hitting it with the hilt of his sword.

Jumped up and down to shack off the sinners, Mattis was thrown off, trying again to shot the machine but the shield was still there. Connar kicked off the abductor while it was still in the air, grappling to the second generator.

The abductor chased Mattis around the square, giving Connar time to cut the machine's shielding off. Connar then threw his thorn at the abductor's leg and pulled, tripping it before it caught Mattis.

"Booya!" Mattis drew his gun and took aim. "That shoulder shaz is history! Now we can start doing some serious damage!"

Connar, Mattis, and their accessories all started shooting at the abductor from four different angles. They keep it confused until all the bullets took their toll and the machine fell once again, this time permanently.

Connar caught the citizen as he fell out of the will'o pod, his accessory chimed in. "Reinforcements inbound, escort the citizen to the RRU."

"Lead the way."

Mattis jumped ahead of he accessory. "No I'll lead the way!"

Several more floating disks appeared in front of them, these one armed with a turrent on top. Mattis and the accessories cleared the way, letting Connar get the citizen to the capsule.

"Operation compete." Said the accessories.

Mattis was jumping for joy. "Woo yeah! We did it! The training wheels are off, and the sky's the limit!"

Connar felt the rain start to lighten up, he looked to the sky, the rain had stopped and the sun shined through the clouds.

...

Connar paced in his cell, waiting for news of his exam when his accessory spoke to him. "Cell visit requested and authorized. Citizen approaching." The accessory moved aside and the door opened.

A man walked into the cell. He was a foot shorter then Connar and wore a white buttom up shirt with a black tie, grey builder pants and boots, brown hair and glasses.

"Hello. My name's Julien, or Julien Sadat #e if we want to be formal about it."

"Julien is fine, I'm Connar Vaniah. You're the I saved earlier today, right?"

"Yes, I'm very grateful for what you did. I wanted to come by and tell you how much I appreciated it. I hope I didn't inconvenience you too greatly."

"It's fine, saving citizens is what a sinner does. Is it normal for citizens to thank sinners?"

Julien hung his head. "Not usually but. I was convinced that I was going to spend the rest of my life trapped in an enemy panopticon and never see my dear wife again."

"Your married? Good for you firend."

"I still shudder at the thought of it now... Well I just wanted to let you know that I appreciate what you did back there."

"Hey anytime Julien, I'd shack your hand but my accessory might tell me off."

"If there's ever anything I can do in return, feel free to come and see me. Spent most of my time in zakka down in the warren."

After Julien left the accessory stood in front of the door again. "Incoming message from the committee for social selection."

Percy the bear appeared on the over sized green monitor. "Greetings sinner!"

"What do you want pedo bear."

"Get ready, because I'm here to announce the result of your code exam. Ready or here it comes..." Percy paused for a moment then started clapping. "You passed! Hooray! Well done, you! Now you can contribute even more to your panopticon!"

"More work, woohoo." Connar stated sarcastically.

"I'm pleased to announce that you are now a member of an altogether better class of sinner! Your moving up in the world! And guess what? As a fully fledged code 2 sinners, you're now allowed out of your cell! Lucky old you!"

"This bear is way to happy to not be creepy."

"And that's not all-there are even more operations available for you to take on and prove how much you love your panopticon."

"I don't!" Connar held his face, wishing dor the bear to shut up.

"Your a credit to your panopticon! But it'll take more than that to make up what you've done, thief! Now get oit there and give it your all, for the greater good!"

Now that the Percy was done, the accessory spoke up. "You've been assigned a level 2 cell, private conversation within certain limits is permitted in level two cells and above. New entitlements are available to you. It is recommended that acquisition of code 3 clearance be your next objective."

Connar sttod up and touched the green monitor, the list of entertainments become much longer. Thinking about going outside he picked the entitlements to let him interact with other sinners, opposite genders, and citizens.

Connar stepped away from the monitor, approaching his accessory. "Okay, ready to leave." The machine nodded and stepped aside.

...

Outside the cell the first thing Connar saw was Mattis waiting for him. "Shaz, yeah! We did it! We moved up in the world! Check this place out!" Connar looked out over the railing, the area looked more like a storage facility with cells lining the wall.

"It's huge! How many of us sinners do you think they can fit in here?"

Connar shook his head in disgust. "Too many, sinners aren't human beings to panopticons. Just cannon fodder."

"Damn man, that's a grim way to think of it."

"Take it with a grain of salt." Connar walked away to the stairs.

"Hey! What's the rush man? I was about to head down to the warren."

"Have fun."

"Come on! You really need to blow this dead-end cell-side scene and let your hair down." Mattis dashed to Connar, taking his wrist Mattis felt something in Connar's sleeve.

Connar yanked his arm away, ajusting something in his sleeve. "What'cha got in there?"

"None of your business."

Mattis laughed at his firends seriousness. "Okay! Then I'll find out!"

Mattis tried again to grab Connar's arm, this time Connar kneed Mattis in the chest so hard he collapsed. "Ground rule, don't touched without a very good reason."

"Ow, okay."

...

Fallowing some sinners and citizens, Connar found himself in the warren. The warren was on a few rooftops on some of the old buildings still standing. Connar walked around till he was in a something like a square, there were giant TVs on some even taller buildings giving updates on all the panopticons of the world.

"Excuse me, are you new?" Connar turned to the origin of that the voice. It was a girl who looked to be Connar's age, she had red shoulder length hair with some of the front hair tied in a bread on her right side. She had heterochromia eyes, her left was a dark lavender and the right eye a dark blue.

The girl wore a light blue dress with a dark ribbon, her shoes and socks were the same color as the dress.

"Do you mean me?" Asked Connar.

"I saw you looking at everything around here and just thought you were lost. Sorry, I'm Alice "Sparrow" Rose. A code 3 sinner. Nice to meet you."

"Connar Vaniah, code 2 as of today. A pleasure."

"So you ARE new here, then allow me to give you the tour."

"Thank you , I'd appreciate that."

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	6. A life's worth

Chapter. 6

"Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in." Connar and Alice stopped to find Uwe walked towards them. "I guess from the fact that you're down here means you passed your code 2 exam."

"The abductor's shields were interesting but it was fairly straight forward." Replied Connar.

"I see you've already met Alice, you do as she says and you'll be fine."

Alice nervously rubbed her head. "Please Uwe. I'm not an instructor like you." She clapped her hands, looking at Connar. "Oh right! The tour! Okay you see those stairs." Connar's sight fallowed the girl's finger. "That's zakka, you can trade entitlement points for weapons."

"But don't code 2 sinners and on get to make weapons?"

"Yes but that takes time, and zakka's weapons make a good base for which one you have in mind." Alice lead the former thief to the league by the stairs. "That down there is the fueling station. You can get a bite to eat, sit and talk to people, or have ice cream."

"What's ice cream?"

"Something to die for, and that's really it for what you can do in the warren."

Connar floded his arms and looked up. "Doesn't seem like much, then again I didn't expect getting much being a sinner."

"Hey! That wasn't nice leaving me back there!" Connar sighed as Mattis approached them, he was about to speak to Connar when he saw Alice. "Hello there, What'cha doing here?"

"I'm showing Connar the warren, I'm sorry was that your job?"

"No, no. Don't worry about that shaz."

"What's a shaz?"

"Thank you!" Said Connar, Alice looked at them confusingly.

"I don't get it. What did I do?"

Mattis ran his hand through his hair. "Well let me know if you want to know anything about the warren, I grew up here so anything I don't know ain't worth knowing."

"With your level of intellect, I bet there's plenty worth knowing that you don't." Said Connar.

"Did, did you just call me dumb!"

"Did I?"

"Yes you did." Pointed Alice.

Connar rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I was being sarcastic."

"Hey!" Shouted Uwe. "Can you three come here!"

"What's up." Asked Mattis.

A citizen with green hair stood beside Uwe, looking over the other three sinners. "Got a minute? Good. I need someone to do a little operation for me. Think you can handle it?"

"I suppose so, what do you need?" Asked Connar.

"Magallanican forces have been entering our territory and destroying our facilities."

"Magallanican, I've heard of them. Their that nearby panopticon, right?"

Uwe nods to the question. "They're a low rent panopticon we're always had a beef with, I've had to school them more times then I can remember."

"If you keep beating them why do they come back, our supplies can't be worth THAT much trouble."

"The spineless scum let Hourai take over their con without even putting up a fight."

"So they're a vessel con." Connar folded his arm to think. "I vaguely remember something about Hourai. Something about being supposedly really scary."

"Wow! How do you know all of that?" Asked Mattis.

"You think food and metal was the only thing I look to take?"

The citizen coughed to regain the groups attention. "So will you take the job or not?!"

Alice clapped her hands. "Yes, you can count on us!"

"Good. Don't let me down, you hear?"

"Who does that guy think he is!?" Pouted Mattis. "We're doing him a favor, and he's treating us like dirt!"

"Do you thank your gun for killing someone?" Asked Connar, Mattis staring blankly. "I told you, sinners are disposable. We're not people to them. Just cannon fodder."

Uwe glared at the two boys. "Check that attitude, sinners! Ain't no point getting on the wrong side of a citizen - they'll only make your life more miserable than it already is."

The citizen nods an agreement. "That about sums it up, yes. You'd be wise to listen to your superior, you know. Okay, I think that concluded my business here. I trust you'll get the job done." The citizen walks way without another word.

"What a piece of shaz! Why can't he be nice and polite like that Julien cat?"

"I could ask the same of you Mattis." Said Connar.

"You want to start something!?"

The pink haired sinner stood right up in Connar's face, sizing him up as the former thief just stared back with half closed eyes. Alice stepped between the two and pushed them away. "Come on guys, we've just been given a job to do. Why not put your energy into that?"

"No way!" Mattis moved Alice aside. "Ever since we met you've been judging and looking down on me."

"Remind me. Who was the imbecile who tried to steal materials, while in plan view of the accessories, that record everything we do?" Mattis took a swing at Connar, who duck the attack and punched Mattis square in the chest. The sinner fell to his knees, trying to breath. "Don't bother getting up."

The thief turned to Uwe. "Ready to go?"

...

After a few minutes of riding in the transport, Uwe and Alice got up to stretch. "So are we going to fight some other sinners on this trip?" Asked Connar.

Uwe fodded his arms. "Better get used to it, a lot of your fighting's gonna be against sinners just like you."

"Fine by me. After breaking a few robots I'm looking forward to spilling some human blood."

Alice eyed the boy with consern. "You can't really mean that, right? I know it's our job to fight but we can't forget that we're taking human lifes, you forget that then you're a murderer!"

"This isn't a 'job' as you call it. This is a death sentence, it's them or us. The way I see it, the more of them I kill the faster I'm out of here. So yeah, this is murder."

Alice shook her head. "We have to save the three citizens in the area. So if you're going to kill anyone, please know who you're shooting."

The transport stops moving, Connar draws his gun. "We're here, time to fill some graves."

...

The transport opened to reveal a ruined city, the sinners got off the transport and into the street. Straight ahead of them was a citizen, on his knees and hiling his head.

The group sprinted toward the citizen till three enemy sinners came from the right of the intercetion. Connar took aim at the sinner closest to the citizen till a white spear flew by his head, impaling the sinner.

Connar fired at the next sinner, knocking them down. Alice ran right beside him, shooting the last sinner down as well.

When they got to the citizen Connar put half a dozen bullets in the heads of the sinners he and Alice gunned down. "First one, let's get him back." Alice carried the citizen back to the RRU with Uwe and their accessories following behind.

Connar looked down the right hand street, seeing a couple of sinners carrying another citizen with two melee type abductors fallowing. Connar chased after them, shooting down one of the machines on the way.

The other sinners got around the corner as the machine was destroyed, when Connar got there he was shot in the chest and fell, his accessory shooting at the gunner on the second floor of a building to drive him back.

The accessory put its hand on Connar's wound and gave him a burst of will'o energy, healing the wound.

"What!?" Connar touched his chest to find he was healed.

"Restored to full capacity, please limit to the use of resources."

As Connar rolled his eyes he saaw the sinner that shot him, the thief used his thorn to drap the sinner to him. Connar shot him in the head then took the sniper rifle.

Down the street Connar ran through some rubble till he found a broken abductor, glowing bright blue on the other side he saw the sinners he was after and another pair carrying another citizen to their own RRU capsule.

Connar aimed with the sniper rifle and shot the farthest sinner in the back of the head, dropping the citizen. The other three turned to look where the shot came from and Connar hit the second sinner carrying a citizen.

The remaining two sinners fired their assault rifles at the sniper. "Accessory! Get in there!"

"Understood." Connar's accessory charged in firing at the enemy sinners. The ssinners backed up, one of them tried to pick up a citizen but was shot in the head by Connar and the other one was gunned down by his accessory.

With the sinners gone Connar slowly walked towards the citizen lying on the ground till he shot the other machine that was with them. When it was down Connar put the rifle in his case and dashed after his accessory.

The accessory picked up one of the citizens and ran passed him, Connar kneeled down to the other citizen, a girl with a purple ponytail. "You okay?" He helped her up and found blood with some bits of brain on her shirt. She was shaking in the thief's arms. "It's okay now. You'll be right as rain, trust me."

As Connar carried the citizen back three more enemy sinners came around the intercetion woth their weapons drawn. "Drop that citizen now!" One shouted.

"Okay!" Conner let the girl's legs fall to the ground then drew his sword to her throat. "Just play along and we'll be fine." He whispered as she started to scream.

The sinners looked confused at first till one of then started laughing. "This isn't gonna work, drop the sword-"

"Or what? You'll kill me quickly? I don't plan on dying."

"We all know you're buffing." The group started walking forward.

Connar pulled the blade against her neck, stopping the sinners' advance. "You willing to take that chance? A dead citizen for me is better then your con getting a live one."

"Please." The girl sobbed. "I have a family."

"Don't we all? Tell me, is that phrase supposed to make me care, make me let you go? Tell us about them, tell us all about them."

"I,I..."

"Spit it out woman!"

"I have a mom and, and two younger siblings! A brother and a sister!" The citizen shouted. "Please, please don't kill me!"

"Let her go now!" Yelled the sinners.

"You want her so bad then shoot me!" Connar watched them take aim but still just stand there. "That's right you can't, you've got assault rifles. You open fire and you run the risk of killing her in the spray, so then what? Can't use your close range weapons cause then I'll just kill her and you get nothing either way."

Behind the sinners Connar saw Uwe and Alice coming to his aid. "Times up." Uwe blasted the three with his rocket launcher, blowing them away.

Only one sinner was still alive frpm the attack but Alice thrusted her spear through their heart.

"See? Told you we'd be fine." Connar lowered his sword and sheathed it, the girl faonted in his arm. "Guess you weren't faking."

"What were you thinking!" Yelled Alice.

"I was buying time till my accessory came back, didn't think you'd all be here."

"I'll be taking her back, you've done enough for her."

"She's alive isn't she?"

The two started walking till Uwe grabbed Connar by the arm. "I know this is a war zone, but you can't do something like that. A citizen could end up with PTSD."

"I make no promises." Connar shook off Uwe and headed for the transport.

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	7. Meet and greet

Chapter. 7

Early noon at the fueling station Uwe, Mattis, Alice, and Connar all sat down to celebrate a finished operation.

"You two did good today." Said Uwe. "Lunch's on me. Go ahead, fill your boots."

Mattis' eyes lit up. "Seriously!? Shaz, yeah! Okay, let's see..."

Connar elbowed the rookie in the side. "None for you, you weren't apart of the mission."

"And who's fault was that?"

"The one who took a swing at me."

Alice opened a soda bottle, tossing the cap at Connar. "Let him have some fun, what harm could he do?"

"Lemme get a so-chlo over here!" The pink haired sinner shouted.

Uwe just shook his head. "Enjoy. Just don't get used to it, okay?"

"Oh, and ten of your finest Q-cumbers, my good man!"

"Hey, maybe you should slow down a little?"

"What's that? Sorry, you'll have to speak up!"

Connar glared Alice, saying_ 'I told you so.'_

Alice returned the look with her hands up, saying _'sorry.'_

Connar ran his hand through his hair, turning back to Uwe. "Thank you for this boss."

"Knock it off, will you? You don't have to thank me. Just enjoy yourselfs, you hear?" Uwe's face grew more sturn for a moment. "Oh, but just to be serious for a second, I want you to take a second to think about the freedom you have to make your own decisions and how import-"

"Another co-shlo if you will, good sir! Actually, make it three!"

Connar looked at Mattis confusingly. "Your first one isn't even here yet, and you order more?"

"In case I like it, I want more."

"And if you don't?"

Uwe let out a cough to get their attention. "Listen, I probably shouldn't say this, but you two are a cut above the average rookies we get coming through here."

Alice nods to agree. "I haven't seen any of Mattis' skill, and very little of Connar's. But if Uwe says your good than it must be true."

"At code level 2, the operations you get issued won't be all that tough. It's a good chance to really learn your craft and get on top of battlefield tactics."

Mattis got his drank and down the whole thing. "Another co-shlo! And make it snappy!"

"You are completely hopeless." Connar rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Let me ask, are we the only rookies you got?"

"No, we'll need to set something up. Give you a chance to meet your fellow greenhorns."

"Did someone say 'party'?" Stepping into the building was a woman with short red hair, she wore a grey tank top and shorts. Red boots, one knee high and one thigh high. Grey headphones and a body harness.

"Ah, if it isn't my old pal Nina."

"Hey Nina! How you been?" Asked Alice.

"Bashing abductors, cutting up sinners. The usual. So we having a party?"

"Yeah! Easiest way to meet and greet everyone. You two are going to love it." Alice points at the rookies

"Alright, alright." Uwe caved to the two girls. "Sounds like a plan. Let's give these kids a chance to get to know one another."

"That would be great Uwe."

"Leave it to me. I'll see what I can put together."

"Hey! Where's my so-chlo? You deaf or something, old man." Shouted Mattis.

As he was about to drink his third so-chlo Connar snatched it away. "No more for you, you've had enough."

"Give that back!"

Connar kept Mattis at an arms length. "I can small the alcahol on your breath, your done." Connar shoved Mattis back and jumped off the couch, letting Mattis fall face first into the floor.

Uwe stood up, grabbing everyone's attention. "Let's call it a day, shall we? C'mon on, back to your cells! And I don't want to hear any complaints."

The group left fueling station and returned to they're cells.

...

Later that day Connar stood in his cell, staring at his wall sized monitor. He was looking at the different weapons he could have built, he was looking at the guns when his accessory chimed in. "Message received from Uwe "sakamoto" cabrera. Subject requests rendezvous at fueling station."

Connar sighed, he pit on his jacket, ajusted his sleeves amd left to the meet.

Outside of the cell Connar walked to the stairs when someone slammed into him, knocking Connar on the railing. "The hell was that for!"

"I, I'm so sorry! I wasn't lookong where I was going! Are you okay?" Before Connar was a girl with dark hair. She wore a white hoody over a sky blue dress, black leggings and shoes. Her hood was up with a pair of teal headphones over the hood.

"Sorry about that. Are you okay?" With the girl was a man, wearing a white jacket over a red sweater, black pants with blue shoes. A teal and white ballcap and metal headphones with blue ear pieces.

"Still in one piece, and you two are?"

"I'm Hal, and this is my adorable little sister Ann."

The girl shook her head. "I'm standing right here, you know."

"Oh, don't be so sensitive. One would think you didn't like being called adorable!" Hal turned back to Connar. "Since you're wondering around here, I'm guessing you're a code 2 sinners too."

"Sadly it's true. May I guess the same?"

"Yeah us too. We're still getting used to actually being allowed out of our cells! Well, we should watch out for each other from now on, okay? Us newbies need to stick together."

"A sound plan. I'm Connar by the way. So you two a siblings."

"That's right. It's not all that unusual to find sinners who are related, you know. We're sinner siblings, born and raised."

"Interesting, you two going to the party at the fueling station?"

Hal nods in agreement. "Yeah! It should be in full swing by now. Let's go together, we don't want to miss all the fun."

"Lead on then." Ann ran down the stairs to the lift, with Hal and Connar right behind.

...

"Glad you could made it, sinners." Uwe greeted the three, Hal and Ann walked by the veteran into the party. "These are some of the folks you'll be going into battle with. Looks like a pretty good turnout."

Connar looked over Uwe's shoulder, scanning the room to find only a handful of people. "This everyone I'll be fight along side?"

"Not everyone could make it, but I'm sure you'll meet the no shows sooner or later. For now, you need to mingle, sonner. Introduce yourself to everyone. Make a little small talk."

"I'm not good a small talk."

Connar started to back out of the building when a pair of hand landed on his back, pushing him further inside. The thief looked back to see Alice. "Don't be a stick in the mud. I'll help greet everyone."

Once in the main area Nina waved to greet the two newcomers. "Ah, there you are! Glad you could make it!"

Alice stopped pushing Connar to return the greeting. "Wouldn't miss it! This one tried to run as soon as he got here." She pointed to Connar. "Really though, thanks for this Nina."

"Oh, it's not really for you! I just wanted to go wild! You know, really let loose!"

"Don't I know it! We need to make to most of every moment we get!" Alice noticed Connar looking around the place like his was reading a battlefield. "And Nina, think you could share some of that fun with grumpy here?"

"I'm grumpy, I'm focused." Connar pointed.

Nina sighed and threw her hands up. "Listen, Connar was it? If you don't learn to unwind now and then, you'll go crazy. Now, let me see you get out there and mingle!"

Alice grabbed Connar by the arm, dragging him to the next person. "Hi, glad you could join us." Ann greeted Alice.

"Same here Ann, you having fun?"

"Yes, this is great fun! It's so nice to have the chance to meet all these lovely people!"

"That's what this is all about, meeting the people who you can trust your life too. Knowing that we're all in this together makes me even more determined to give my all for our panopticon!"

"Don't tell me to bought the trash that bear told you?" Asked Connar. "Your 'lovely panopticon' doesn't give two senses about you. You are the exact image the con wants from us sinners, polite, smiling soldiers that don't think about anything but serving the all mighty panopticon."

Ann stepped back from the two, looking like she was about to cry. "Connar!" Alice shouted. "That was uncalled for."

"Prove me wrong."

"Prove your right."

The thief to in a deep breath. "We fight, we kill, we're denied sleeping, talking to other people, and basically anything that makes us human unless we kill. We're not humans to the panopticons."

"It's because the world is in ruins, we have no choice but to fight for what keeps us alive."

"No we don't. The citizen that keep the cons running, what would happen if all the cons brought them all together and gave them a ton of the resources that we're hording? They'd find a way to fix the world, put back to what it once was. We're just too caught up in self praservation to see that."

"Connar, it's as simple as you think."

"Yes it is, it's just easier for you to swallow empty promises that then think for yourself." Connar turned and walked to the exit.

"Where you going?" Asked Uwe.

"Back to my cell."

"But the party just started-"

Connar turned and glared at veteran. "Let them have their 'fun' then, but I refuse to be associated with puppets."

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	8. Meet and greet, take 2

Chapter. 8

"Connar!" Yelled Alice, chasing the thief to the warren plaza. "Would you stop walking?!" Connar stopped, he turned to face her with a sour experation. "What you did in there was wrong Connar, why do you... when someone trys to be nice to you, you spit in their face!"

Connar just stood there, watching Alice. "You act like you're some big shot, why? Just because you lived outside the panopticon!?"

"If you have a point, please make it."

"Why? So you can sit in your cell, alone?"

"No, so I can order better equipment to shave my years faster. When my number hits zero I'm gone."

Alice tried to punch Connar but he caught her arm and shoved her away. "What makes you think your so much better then everyone, huh? Tell me that!"

"I want my freedom back, nothing more."

"What do you think we're fighting for!"

"No! You fight for rights. Say you work off you sentence, then what? You continue to live in a cell, continuing to fight. You're not free, your just something for all the other sinners to look up and 'give your all for the greater good' and all that bull." Connar walked toward a ledge, taking a seat to look at the night sky. "Greater good. It's just another flowery phrase that's supposed to justify bad ideas."

Alice sat down on the ledge beside Connar. "What made you so bitter?"

"I just don't like people who think the panopticon actually care about us."

"Why's that?"

Connar turned to Alice. "You really want to know?" The girl nods. "The idea that if all the cons could just come together and share what they have, came from my parents. It was that idea that brought them together in the first place."

"So what happened?"

"What do you think happened? They brought this idea of global peace to the higher ups and they were made sinners with a two million year sentence for treason that afternoon."

"All just for that?"

"Told you, cons only care about themselfs."

"Wait a sec." Alice took a moment to think. "If they were citizens that turned into sinners, what happened to you?"

"They made a safe house in the city ruins, said to go there and hide. If everything went well they would come find me." Connar brought up his hand to has face, covering his eyes. "That was the last time I saw them."

"Need a minute?" Alice slowly rubbed his back. "You hate the panopticon for what it did to your family, but they're still alive right?"

Connar lowered his hand and sighed. "The safe house had enough supplies to last a few months. In that time I was going crazy with worry. I practiced parkour in the meantime so I could get in the panopticon and find out what happened to them."

Alice waited for him to speak. "They died of their first mission. The intel was shady, there were more enemies then was reported, it was an execution. One I'll never forget."

"Connar, you can't let this eat at you. I'm sure you parents didn't want you to live like some hermit, stealing to survive. The panopticon my think of us sinners as tools but they still take care of us, it's give and take. The more we fight the better our lives become."

"It doesn't matter how wonderful they make your life, because at the end of the day a cage is still a cage."

"Maybe, but is life out there, all alone. Is it really that grand, stealing to survive."

Connar shook his head. "I won't pretend it was easy but I could do and be whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted."

"But is it worth being alone?" Alice asked, to which Connar lowered his gaze to the lower levels of the warren.

The two sat in silence for a couple of minutes till Alice stood up. "Connar, come back to the party. Meet everyone there. You may be right about living in a cage but that's no excuse to be mean to everyone."

"Fine." Connar stood up, brushing the dirt off his hands. "There's gonna to be enough gunfire coming at me as it is. I don't need it coming from behind me as well."

Alice threw her hands up and sighed. "Good enough for now, come on then!"

...

Connar and Alice returned to the party, avoiding Ann on the way. In the corner they spotted a girl wearing a dark green combat winter coat, dark pants, leg warmers, large steel headphones, and clear yellow visors. Alice dragged Connar to meet her. "Hi Marie, are enjoying yourself?"

"Um... hello..." She spoke hanging her head. "N-nice to meet you sir."

"It's fine. I'm Connar, you don't have to call me sir."

"I... I'm afraid I'm not much of a party person. I n-never know what to say..."

"You and me both sister."

The let out a long sigh. "M-maybe I shouldn't have come... I just thought maybe I could make some new friends. Silly really."

"Come on Marie, not think like that." Alice grabbed and held the girls hands. "You have a friend right here."

"Oh, of course! I'm sorry I forgot."

The thief shook his head in disapprove. "Being meek will get you killed out there."

"Connar!"

Alice was going to yell at at him till the boy continued. "If you want to survive you'll to get tough, but don't loss sight of who you are and what you fight for. I'd like to be your friend as well, and if you want I can teach you how to be stronger."

"Th-thank you!" The girl looks up and gives shy smile to her company. "M-my name's Marie. I'm a bit hopeless, but-"

"Don't think like that, we all have something to be proud of. I'm Connar, still with me and all will fear and respect the Marie." The thief patted Marie's arm. "Talk you later, okay?"

"Yes, thank you!"

As Marie left Alice wore a large grin on her face. "Looks like the tough guy has a heart of gold after all."

"Never said I didn't. So, who's next?"

Alice lead the boy to an elderly man sitting on one of the sofas. He was dressed in desert camouflaged chothes, and grey hair in a ponytail. "Connar, meet Sergio. Sergio, this is Connar."

The old man looks up to the pair. "Ah, you're the kid Uwe's instructing."

"More or less, pleasure to meet you. How do you know Uwe?"

"I do that same job as Uwe. That means I knock rookie sinners into shape." Sergio took a long look at the boy. "Uwe's told me all about you. He thinks you could go places... But don't get ahead of yourself! You've still got a hell of a lot to prove."

"I understand. I'm the type to die over something stupid."

"We'll see. For now, stay focused, stay sharp, and become the best fighter you can be. You got it?"

"Transparent."

"Woo-hoo-hoo-hoo! PAAAAAAAARTY!" Shouted Mattis from across the fueling station.

"Oh, for God sakes. What now?" Connar stomped over to Mattis, finding him fully intoxicated.

The drunk teen looked at the thief standing over him. "You having as much fun as me?"

"I'd dare say you're having enough fun for the both of us."

"What's the matter with you! C'mon! Let's tear this place up!" Mattis picked up a bottle off the table and offered it to Connar. "Here, get some of this down you! It's the shaz!"

"No, I think one drunk is more then enough." Connar kept backing away till Mattis fell on the floor.

"This is the good shaz, I'm telling you! I feel... I feel like I could - hic! - do anything!"

"Wait till morning, you'll be singing a different tune. See ya champ." Connar patted Mattis on the back and continued on.

At the bar Connar watched Alice try to help up Mattis, but he kept falling.

"Hey, it's you." The thief turned to the person next to him. He wore a dark blue jacket over a black t shirt, gray pants, and qhite earphones. "The name's Kai."

"Connar." The thief offered a handshack.

"Good to meet you. I've met a lot of people over the years, and not all of them are around any more..."

"Sorry to here that, they must have been good people."

Kai gave a light laugh. "Sorry, you're not supposed to talk about this stuff at parties, are you?"

"I'm no good at large gatherings, so I'd be the wrong guy to ask."

"Then let's talk about something fun." Kai lowered his head to think, a few seconds pass before he looks at Connar again. "Sorry. It's just not happening."

Connar could almost feel the atmosphere getting awkward. "Okay well, good to meet you. Look forward to seeing you again on the battlefield."

"Yeah, you too." Kai took off and Connar turned back to face the bar.

"That guy is trying WAY too hard to be deep."

"Hey! You made it!" Hal patted Connar on the back.

"Of course I did, we came in together."

"Oh yeah." Connar brought his hand to his face. "Parties are strange things, don't you think?"

"How so..." The thief started rubbing the sides of his eyes.

"Well, it's just a bunch of people standing around talking, but somehow it's just... fun." Hal waved his hand over the room. "It feels like... no matter how tough things have been... here, in this moment, none of that matters. Really recharges the batteries, you know."

"That's... Suprisingly insightful."

"Oh yeah! You should try this fizzy water with a pinch of so-chlo. Really brings out the flavor... It's really tasty, really... moreish."

"I'll stick to plain water actually."

"She's quite a looker."

Connar fallowed Hal's gaze to Nina. "I guess."

"Looks like she could handle herself in a fight too... I'd love to see how hard she can hit."

"I'm sure her right hook could put you down if you ask nicely." A thud cought Connar's attention, Mattis was out cold on the floor with Alice shaking her head at him. "A cage is still a cage. Let's see if I can break it open."

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	9. Round about

Chapter. 9

The next morning Connar awake in his cell, streching out his arm as he sat up. As Connar rubbed the sleep from his eyes the accessory spoke up. "Good morning. Message received from Mattis, requests rendezvous at the warren."

"Breakfast first, and code two better be not be the same." As small slide opens in the cell, pushing in a tray of food. Connar kneeled down to it to find it was the same food as before but this time with packet of sugar.

Connar pocked up the packet and chuckled. "I am gonna burn this place to the ground."

...

Down in the warren Connar met up with Mattis and found Alice and Uwe there too. "Boo!" Mattis tried to scar Connar, but failed.

"You got two seconds, why am I here?"

"Come on guy, lighten up! Have you heard the new!? It's pretty spooky!"

"Then get to it already!"

Mattis jumped back at Connar's shout. "Shaz dude, calm down. A guys trys to be nice and you snap at him."

"If you'd get to the point, I wouldn't snap at you."

Alice stepped in to keep things from getting ugly. "There's a rumor of a ghostly woman in the cell garden on level 2."

Uwe let a disgusted sigh. "If I hear anymore about this damn ghost, I swear I'll... Look, try to slap some sense into your pals, will you?"

"Okay sure. Alice, Mattis, ghout don't exist. Period, so drop this nonsense before you do something stupid and add more years to our sentences."

"Come on man! How can we be sure unless we check it out for ourselves?" Mattis could see that Connar was losing interest. "If That aain't enough to grab ya, someone is offering a reward for proof about the rumor one way or the other."

"I didn't hear that part." Said Alice.

"So whaddya say? C'mon! Don't let me down here man!"

Connar put up his hand. "I'll pass."

"Same here." Said Uwe. "I'm washing my hands of this whole sorry affair. If you want me, I'll be in the fueling station. " Uwe started walking away, then stopped to look back at the teens. "There is one thing. You do know what you have to do to get to the cell garden, right?"

The three just looked at each other. "Thought as much. You need to talk to everyone's favorite ratbag Enzo. He'll tell you what you'll need to know... but he won't do it for free."

"Thank you Uwe." Alice waved good bye. "Okay let's get too it!"

"Tell how it goes when you're do, I'm gonna go sign up for an operation." Connar backed up from the two and walked away.

"Screw him then!" Yelled Mattis. "We can do this with them, come on." AAlice noded and the two went back to the panopticon.

...

In the code 2 cell block Alice and Mattis searched for while till the got to the top floor and found their target.

"Excuse me, are you Enzo?" Asked Alice.

"Wotcher! You after somethin'?" Enzo got a look at the pair. "Over 'ere we 'ave Mattis Bruno. A somewhat gullible young feller, if the word on the street is to be believed."

"Wh-?! Y-! How do you even...?" Mattis was flabbergasted.

"And then there's you, Alice Rose. Polite and friendly even when she worries for her friends."

Alice played with the hair she had over her shoulder. "Thank you, but could you tell us how to get into the level 2 cell garden. Please."

"And there it is- the qeastion in qeastion! I know exactly what yer up to, see. And why." Enzo shook his head. "But I ain't about to share me 'ard-won intel wiv you young whippersnappers for free now, am I? Information's a valuable commodity, if ya catch me drift..."

"Resources for resources, right?" Alice searched her dress pockets for anything to use. "What can you tell us for a... piece of a mk 1 carapace."

Enzo took the item, stuffing it into his backpack. Pleasure doin' business wiv ya! The cell garden enterance yer lookin' for's right 'ere on level 2. There you go. That's yer lot."

"Wh-!? That's it!?" Yelled Mattis.

"The more generous you are, the more I'll tell ya. Do I 'ava to spell it out?"

Mattis put his hands on his sides and sighed. "Is this guy for real?"

Alice checked pockets again, this time taking out a first aid kit. "Will this do?"

Enzo took the kit, putting it in hos backpack as well. "Pleasure doin' business wiv ya! 'Ere's the passcode you'll be needin' to get to the cell garden sector yer after." He hands Alice a cardkey. "It's always movin' see. Walk though the door willy-nilly, an' you never know wot bit of the 'orrible old maze you'll end up in."

"That sounds fun." Alice was starting to have second thought.

"But wiv the right passcode, you can make any sector you want come to you instead."

"For real!?" Asked Mattis.

Alice bowed slightly. "Thank you for the info and code." She went to the stairs, with Mattis at her side. On the ground floor Alice started giggling.

"What's so funny?"

"Just thinking about what would've happened if Connar was with us. He hates it when you say shaz, he might have popped his lid listening to that guy talk." Mattis joined her in the laugh.

...

A minute later the two found the entrance. They stepped inside and Mattis jumped at the console. "Alright! Let's go find us a pretty ghoul!"

After typing in the code Mattis accessory beeped. "Entry to this sector of the general purpose movable cell array is strictly forbidden. I repeat, entry to this cell garden sector is not permitted under any circumstances."

"Wh-? Huh? What's the big idea? Hey, I know my rights! I've claimed the entitlements, and I need to get in here! What'sthe deal?"

The teens argument was lost on the accessory. "Continued refusal to comply with a direct order from your accessory will result in a disciplinary report being filed with the office of peace and stability."

"This won't end well if we push it, let's find another way." Suggest Alice.

Mattis lowered his head as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, we need to do some thinking. Nah, much as I hate to say it, I think we need to fall back and check in with Uwe. He said he'd be in the fueling station, right?"

...

Back in the warren, Alice and Mattis explained what happened since the ghout hunt began.

The veteran looked concerned. "I wonder what's going down... There must be something in there they don't want you to see." Uwe folded his arms as he looked between the two sinners. "Well, if you want my advice, you'll stay well clear. All this stuff about a ghost... Sounds like the kind of tall tale the fraternity might cook up to get soft-headed kids to do their dirty work."

"Wait a sec, who's this fraternity shaz?"

"What's the best way of putting this...? I guess you could say it's a bunch of folks who like to sail close to the wind."

Aliice tapped Mattis on the shoulder to get his attention. "They're the black market that handles the resource trading and gun running between the panopticons."

"I'd have as little to do with them as possible if I were you." Warned Uwe. "And give up on yhe ghost hunting too while you're at it."

"No way!" Mattis stood up for the sofa. "There's a hot ghost chick waiting for me, a real man doesn't give up! You with me Alice!?"

"I'm in! I can't let a boy get the better of me!" Alice got up as well, fallowing Mattis outside.

...

"Hey! You! Where'd you think you're going?" Outside the fueling station Alice and Mattis were greeted by voice. They turned left to find its source.

A young man wearing a teal jacket with three ties around his neck, pink, black, and orange. He had short sandy hair and slinted eyes. "Where the hell are my glasses? I know you hid them somewhere."

"I'm sorry sir, but we didn't take any glasses." Said Alice.

"Ahh, trying to pass the buck, are we? Very classy. But you can't fool me." The man's voice growing more serious. "I know you did it, and I'll be telling the office of peace and stability as much."

"You can't! We didn't take your glasses, we don't even know you!"

"Well, you can give me some compensation for all the pain and distress you've caused me."

"Like hell we're giving you anything." Said Mattis.

"Listen, those were expensive spec. Let's say I know a man who can... make things happen. If you that on, say... 500,000 years of my sentence, I might be able to forgive you."

"Are you freaking crazy, man!?"

"Well, if your not willing to agree to my terms, I don't have much choice." The man's gaze was starting to give Alice and Mattis the chills. "I'll just have to get my friend to bump you both back down to code 1."

Mattis was starting to panic. "Huh!? You have got to be kidding me!"

"Please don't!" Alice pushed Mattis away, standing up to the man. "I'll take the years, just don't put us back at code 1!"

Heh,heh...heh. Ha ha ha ha!" The man laughed uncontrollably. "You should see your faces!" The two looked back at each other confused. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I ccouldn't resist. I was just yanking you rookies' chains."

"That's not funny you jerk!" Alice punched the man in the chest, knocking him back.

"I wanted to see if Uwe's lastest lapdogs could take a joke. And I think I have my answer."

"Who are you, how do you know Uwe?"

"Ah, where are my manners? The names Carlos. I've known Uwe since forever."

"I'm Alice, this is Mattis."

Carlos nods. "He's told me all about you. But he didn't tell me you were such easy marks! That was priceless! Heh heh!"

"Where do you get off treating people like that, anyway?" Mattis was getting sick of the games.

"I said I was sorry, didn't I? By the way, where's the third wheel? Con something."

"Connar. He's not with us, thinks he's too good to hang with us."

"Mattis don't be like that." Alice patted her partner on the back. "He's just socially awkward is all."

Carlos threw up his hands and sighed. "Maybe another time then. Let's get down to business, I know how to get youraaccessories to turn a blind eye to you going into the cell garden."

As Carlos got the teens attention he started laughing again. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry... I just can't get over that look on your faces when I... Heh!"

"Knock it out, will you!?" Shouted Mattis.

"Ahh, okay. You just need to make friends with a citizen. Anyone will do. Then you can get them to... make certain adjustments to your accessory."

Mattis tilted his head. "I'm not exactly sure we're allowed to mess around with our accessories like that."

"Well, that doesn't stop most folks from doing it. Rules are for bending, right?"

"A citizen, huh? Um... There was that Julien guy." Mattis turned Alice. "Connar and I saved him a while back, he thanked us personally."

Alice pumps her fist. "Alright! Back on track, thank you Carlos."

"Don't thank me, pay me. I'll be expecting a cut of the reward if there really is one." Carlos looked Alice over and grinned slightly. "But there isn't one, I wouldn't mind a date with you Alice."

Just then Alice's accessory stepped in between them, staring down Carlos. Carlos and the accessory just gared at each other till Carlos broke out laughing again. "You got some machine fallowing you." The sinner walked into the fueling station, still having a laugh.

"What was that?" Asked Mattis.

"I don't know, Leon sometimes does it to guys." Alice tapped her accessory's shoulder and waved it forward to fallow.

"You named your accessory Leon?"

"Yeah, it's better then 'that thing'."

"Does it happen when a guy asks you out?"

"Now that you mentioned it, yeah."

Mattis looked back at the accessory andand stepped away from Alice as it watched him.

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Please review it keeps us writers going, till next time CG out. Peace!


	10. Stealth

Chapter. 10

After the encounter with Carlos, Alice and Mattis headed straight for zakka, inside the two found Julien right away. "Hey Julien!" Mattis shouted as he walked towards him.

"Oh, hello there." Greeted them turned to the female sinner. "Who are you?"

"I'm Alice, a friend of Mattis, nice to meet you."

"Thanks again for rescuing me. I don't know what I would have d-"

"Julien, man, you gotta help us!" Mattis interrupting the citizen. "This is, like, the most important thing ever in the history of time!"

Alice let out a giggle. "I wouldn't go that far."

Julien stepped back from the pair. "Okay, okay. Calm down. Tell me what you need."

"We're looking for a ghost in the level 2 cell garden, but our accessories won't let us in. We heard a citizen can get an accessory to turn a blind eye, so here we are."

"Well." Julien took a second to think about the situation. "I could make the necessary tweaks to the accessories in question, but it would be a serious violation of the people's charter..."

Mattis put his hands together, begging the citizen. "Please do this for us, we have to get in there! A hot ghost chick is waiting for me to save her!"

Okay, okay. I'll do it. You saved my life. This is the least I can do to repay you."

"Woo-Hoo! We're in business!"

Alice smiled brightly, watching Mattis so overjoyed. "Thank you for this Julien, I owe you one."

"But there's something I'll need you to do for me before I can get to work."

Mattis gave out a sigh of fusteration. "What!? Like what?"

"There's a particular resource I'm going to need in order to help you out. I'd like you to find it for me."

Alice gives a nod. "Okay, what do you need?" Julien wrote on a piece of paper and handed to her. "Thanks. Be back in a flash." Alice dashed out of the shop running straight for the lift.

...

On the first code floor Alice looked high and low for the resource, talking to several citizens. As she rubbed her eyes Alice accessory patted her head. "Stop that Leon!"

"What are we looking for?" Alice showed the machine the paper. "A super will'o graphite. Scanning... this way."

After walking to another wall of cells the accessory picked up the item in qeastion, handing it to Alice. "Thank you Leon!"

"Why do you want to go to the garden?"

"Because I'm curious to see if this ghost rumor is true."

"If it wasn't for my programming, I wouldn't stop you from for filling your wish."

Alice put her arm around the accessory's shoulders as they walked back to the warren. "It's okay, you're doing really well understanding humans."

...

"I'm back!" Alice announced.

"Ah, I see you've brought what I need." Alice handed Julien the graphite. "I'll head back to my workshop and get started... Oh, and I'm going to need to borrow your accessories, of course." Julien took the accessories and left.

Alice and Mattis spent the next hour shopping for new weapons, when they finished Julien was outside waiting for them.

"That was fast. Thanks Julien." Alice gave slight bow.

"Anytime. Listen, basically I'll added a nice new function to your accessories." Julien raised a finger to his lips. "Do this and it will trigger a scrubbing sequence that will temporary disable surveillance memory. It's known as the 'zip it system'! Pretty nifty, don't you think?"

"Julien, you're the man! I can't wait to test this out! C'mon! Let's hit the cell garden!" Mattis rushed out the door, almost hitting a couple of people. Alice sighed and fallowed.

...

Outside the cell garden, Alice and Mattis turned to their accessories and raised a finger to their lips. Both of the accessories put their hands behind their backs. "Scrubbing sequence initiated. Suspending surveillance protocol."

"It worked! It worked!" Cheered Mattis pumping his fist. "Okay, let's go in!"

The two entered the door, into a large empty room. "This looks like the training center, just dimly lit." Said Alice. The two walked through the door on the other side to find another room that looked the same. They went to the door on other side of it as well, this time as it opened they hid behind the doorframe.

On the other side an accessory was was looking around. Alice watched the accessory till it turned its back to them and headed for a door. "Stick close." The sneaked across the room, getting to the next door just as it closes And reopen it.

The accessory looked around some more till it turned right. The sinners fallowed behind again. The accessory looked a door in front of it but took one on its right. When the machine was out of the room the sinners made a break for the door, entering a long hallway with a single pillar in the middle and an accessory walking around it.

The sinners tailed the accessory around the pillar till it had its back to the next door and ran for it.

Inside Alice went for a door pn her right when she spotted another accessory, she grabbed Mattis and shoved him a corner. Alice put her hand over his mouth, as the accessory walked right by them.

When it was clear they ran through the door, into another hallway. This time with a pillar that filled the center. Mattis didn't see the accessory and just ran, Alice chased after Mattis.

When an accessory did come around the corner Alice grabbed Mattis, pulling him into an empty space in the pillar and to the other side. As the aaccessory walked back to where they came from, the sinners got to the end.

...

Now out of the halls Alice and Mattis where in a dark room, with dim pale light everywhere. In the middle was a bridge that lead to a girl with purple thorns binding her to a large white eye shaped ring.

The girl had light sandy hair. Wearing an unzipped hoody, a long sock on her left leg and a thron wrapped around her right, all in white.

"Hey, I got a bad feeling about this man..." Mattis started backing to where he came in. "We need to get out of here. Like, now."

"But we can't just leave her here. Who she is or whatever she's done, no one deserves this!" Alice took off running towards the imprisoned girl. Mattis waved his hands in defeat and fallowed.

Sirens rang out in the area as it began flashing red, two accessories entered the area.

Mattis looked back and forth between the machines and the prisoner. " Aww, shaz! Y-you got the wrong guy, man! Wait, I can explain I-!"

The machines didn't listen and shot the two sinners with their palms, binding their arms to their sides. "Intruders apprehended in restricted area. Returning offenders to containment cells." The accessories struck the sinners over the head, knocking them out and carrying them back to their cells.

...

After some time had passed Alice slowly open her eyes. "You're awake! Please sit up, your body requires water." The accessory helped Alice sit up and handed her a glass.

She took water and drank in gulps. "Thank you Leon, your very kind."

"It's because it is my duty too do so, but lately it doesn't feel that way. Why is that?" Alice rubbed her machine's hair. "You hate it when I do that so why do you get to do it to me?"

"It's called teasing. You do something to annoy someone but they don't mind, because it shows that you care."

Leon stands up, facing the door. "Natalie will be here in less then a minute." Leon turned back to Alice. "Would you like me to keep her out?"

"It's okay, better now then later." The accessory nodded and stepped aside from the door.

The door opened up, letting Natalie inside. "Do you realize what you were caught doing?" The officer spoke in a fowl mood as always.

"Looking for a ghost?."

"Don't lie to me, maggot! Not only were you caught trespassing in a highly restricted area, you now compound your crime by lying to your superior! Your sentence has been extended."

Alice watched her years increase by four hundred years. "That's not fair!"

"Did you find that room purely by accident or...? No. On second thought, I don't want to know." Natalie took a minute to think. "You will not breathe a word about this little debacle to anyone. If you do, the punishment will be swift and I make myself clear?"

"Yes miss Woo." Alice lowered her head as Natalie left the cell.

Leon went up to the girl and rubbed her hair. "Don't worry about it. Natalie thinks she needs to be tough all the time , or else the sinners will walk all over her."

"Still don't like it when you do that."

"I know, I'm teasing you."

Alice began laughing out loud. "Thank you Leon. I needed that."

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	11. No patience

Chapter. 11

"The new weapons will be ready in the morning."

"Alright, just don't rush it. Call you later." Connar ended the call to his weapon facility and went to bed.

"Would like to-"

"Shut up!" The thief yelled at his accessory and tried to get to sleep. After what felt like a few minutes Connar woke up in the immaterial plain.

Connar sat up on his metal slab of a bed as Aries appeared from the wall. "I'm disappointed in you Connar, your supposed to find her but it was your friends that did the work."

"If you gave me some information on WHO I'm looking for, maybe I'd make an effort to do as you asked."

Aries pulled her hat over her face. "You have so much potential if you'd just open your eyes-!"

"And become paranoid, jumping at things that aren't there. I'm a realist, if you want ghost chasers go see Alice and Mattis."

"And yet here you are, in a place that can't be explained."

"That's because this isn't real." Connar placed his hands behind his head and rest on the back wall. "I see this place when I'm sleeping, logic says it's a dream. I only humor you to pass the time till I wake up."

Aries gave a menacing smile. "Okay then, if you want proof talk to your friends. Ask them about the girl."

"Fine, fine. I'll humor you a little in the real world, and when they ask what I'm talking about you'll see that your whole 'great transfromation' and 'true freedom' is just garbage."

Aries let out a out a fusterated sigh and left.

Connar awoke and sat up, rubbing his eyes to keep them open. "Good morning."

"Shut up, you stupid machine. And get out of the way, I'm going out."

...

Connar got down to the warren and immediately went to the fueling station, inside he found Alice and Mattis talking quitely. "Hey you two, how's the ghost hunt?"

Alice peracticly jumped at Connar. "You need to help us! We we're chasing the ghost rumor and found a girl locked up in the cell garden. She looks like she's been through, we have to save her!"

Connar was suprised and horrified, he swallowed it down for later and need to think clearly. "Okay calm down and start over. Leave no details out."

Connar sat with them and listened, growing more concerned with what Aries was telling him. When it was over Mattis was the first to speak. "My old man always told me that if a chick looks like trouble, she probably is. And that chick has trouble written all over her."

"I hope you father didn't say that word for word. Otherwise I sincerely hope you never breed."

"Stop acting like your so much better than me, you shaz!"

"Who said I'm acting?"

"Stop it! Both of you!" Alice stood up, glaring at the two. Mattis looked away while Connar just lazily stared back. "That girl is in trtrouble and needs help. Our help."

"I hate to ditch a damsel in distress, but I think we gotta leave this one be." Said Mattis.

"Well aren't you just the bravest of the bunch. Jump at the first sigh of adventure, fold at the first sigh of trouble."

Mattis jumped up from his sofa. "Who do you think you are!? You act like your above us when we're looking for the ghost, now you come in and act like you care when a girl is involved? Stop saying your better then me when you want the same as me, you shaz!"

Connar started clapping his hands. "Whoo! Bravo! Great performance, but your missing something. Ghost are not real, person locked in a dark room for reasons unknown? That's real. I can deal with real."

"Both of you stop it!" Alice slapped the two boys on the back of their heads.

"So, any luck on the wild ghost chase, losers?" The three teens look to find Carlos standing by them.

"And you are?"

Alice got up and stood beside the new comer. "Connar this is Carlos, he helped us get in the garden."

Carlos looked Connar up and down then grinned. "Yeah! Your the one who took my glasses."

"Why would I do that? I don't even know you."

"Don't act like you're innocent, I know it was you and I know a guy who will put you back in code 1."

Connar stared back a Carlos with a blank experation. "I almost care... wait... nope, false alarm."

"Huh? You three know Carlos?" The group looked to find Uwe had joined.

Connar put his arms back on the sofa. "Well now it's a party."

Carlos gives a creepy chuckle. "Hey, you know me well enough for me to have let you in on my... zippy little secret. "

Uwe folded his arms. "Heh. Is that supposed to be you being subtle? I already know it was you who told these clowns about scrubbing, Carlos."

"Oh, don't be like that. I was just teaching these poor, innocent sinners something that will help them survive in this cruel world."

"Don't pull that high and mighty crap with me! Why'd you tell them about that stuff? What if they'd gotten hurt?"

"But they didn't, did they? And they came back with a pretty interesting story too..."

"What is he talking about? "Uwe looks at Alice.

"Natalie said not to talk about it, but there's a girl locked up in the cell garden. We have to save her!"

"You saw the chick, right?" Asked Mattis. "You clocked her threads? Shazheads from On High dress like that. And I ain't in the habit of rescuing those guys."

"So not only are you ill educated, your also bigoted." Said Connar.

"You think they had her tied up like that because she's a sweet kid with a happy go lucky attitude? Think again genius."

"I'll take that as a complament."

"Anyway!" Alice tried to get the attention back. "No deserves to be treated like how she is, I'm going back to Julien and asking for his help again." Alice stormed out of the fueling station.

Connar kicked his feet out as he got up and fallowed her.

...

At zakka Alice just greeted Julien when Connar showed up. "Oh, hello Connar. Thank you again for saving me."

"You can thank me by doing me a favor. There's a girl locked up in the cell garden, I want to get her out but Alice here said they've got some good security protection in there. Alice?"

The girl explained what she saw to Julien, who shrugged when she was finished. "From what you've told me, it sounds like the sector was under much tighter security than usual. I'm sorry but I'm afraid it's just too ricky For me to get involved."

"Well I guess that's that then." Connar stepped back, dusting off his hands.

"I'm really sorry though."

"But we havevto help her!"

"If Julien won't do it, he won't do it." Connar waved his hands forward. "It's cool, I mean it's not we can... I don't know, blackmail him to do it."

"What!?" The other two shouted.

"I mean Julien must be a really good engineer to remember to remove his fingerprints from you and Mattis' accessories, right?"

"You can't! We'll all get in trouble."

"Not me Alice. I go to the authorities, you and Mattis get more years. And Julien, oh ho they're gonna have fun with you."

Julien was starting to panic. "You monster! I have a family to take care of!"

"You're, looking at it rationally. You have people who depend on you, that need you to provide for them. Which you can't do as a sinner. Me? I'm not rational, I feel like ratting you all out if I don't get what I want."

Alice tried to punch Connar but he stepped out of the way, letting her hit the ground. "You're evil Connar!"

Connar just put up his hands and smiled at her. "I try not to be, but sometimes when you want something, you gotta throw someone under a bus." Connar turned back to Julien. "So, what'll it be?"

"Okay! Okay I surrender. I'll do it, but I need some rare resources-"

"Just give me a list and where to find them." Julien wrote the names of a few items and handed it to Connar, who stuffed it in has jacket and walked out of zakka.

...

Once outside Alice chased after the thief. "I can't believe you, how could you do that to him!"

"Oh, don't even start, okay? You wanted my help, your getting it. You'd have do the same thing."

"No I wouldn't have, I'd have talked and convened him to help. That's what normal people do, that's what a friend would do."

"I told you, I'm not here to make friends, I have sentence to work off. Nothing more, nothing less."

"You said you'd make friends!"

"No I said I'd try. How hard was never determined."

Alice stood still, watching Connar leave till he was halfway up the stairs. "How do you live with yourself!"

Connar stopped and turned back to her. "Easy! I don't, I have a fake human robot that won't stop staring at me." He pointed to his accessory with jos thumb.

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Please review it keeps us writers going, till next time CG out. Peace!


	12. Gears of change

Chapter. 12

The transport ride was an uneasy one at best. Alice explained what the situation was to Mattis while Connar slept in his seat across from them.

"The shaz? He's blackmailing us, this was OUR adventure!" Complained Mattis.

"I know, but we have to do it, at least to save her."

Connar opened one eye to look at the two sinners. "You know I can hear you, right?"

Alice just rolled her eyes. "There's gonna be abductors in the area-"

"Two of them, artillery modes."

"Thank you Connar!"

"Just saying, we'll need a plan-"

"No way!" Mattis stood up from his seat. "You're not the leader, Alice is a code above us. She should lead."

"Okay, what's the plan?" Alice closed her eyes and lead back to think. "We're waiting..."

"Just shut up already!"

"Look, I say two of us fight the abductors while the other goes looking for the stuff Julien needs."

Mattis nods. "Yeah, and you'll be the gathering the resources!"

Connar looks at Mattis. "You think you can take an artillery mode? What's one look like?"

"Uh, uh... You're getting the resource shaz!"

Connar closed his eye and stretched his arms up. "No, you're doing that. Any other way will get you killed."

"So you do care." Grinned Alice.

"You want make something of it?"

...

The transport stopped letting the sinners out in the dessert. Alice and Mattis drew their guns, opening fire on the nearest abductor.

Connar drew his new great sword, leaving the first abductor to the others and went after the second one.

Connar used his thorn to grapple the abductor's leg and dragged it down, once down Connar hacked and slashed at the machine till it stood up. "Stay, down!" Connar swung the large sword as hard as he could, cutting off the abductor's leg at the knee.

The abductor's cannon on top of it started spinning and shooting bombs. Connar stayed right next to the machine to avoid the blasts, when it was over the thief grappled to the cannon switching to another new weapon, a small chainsaw sword.

The sword slowly cut through the cannon barrel, the cannon started spinning to shoot again. Connar pushed his sword on the barrel, against the rotation. It was still strong enough to push the sinner back, but only till Connar finished cut off the cannon.

Connar jump off and switched to his great sword, slashing at the abductor while trys to stand with its one leg until Connar eneded it with one final swing through its systems.

...

Meanwhile Alice and Mattis' thorns grappled to the abductor's legs, dragging down. Mattis changed to his sword and slashed at the abductor. Alice grappled to the abductor's pod, shooting it point blank.

When the abductor stood up Alice's gunfire broke the pod, forcing it down again. Alice jumped off the machine, switching to her spear as she hit the ground.

Mattis and Alice attacked from both sides of the abductor, cutting through he metal and getting to will'o engine. The abductor got up and started running away. The sinners switched back to their guns, running along side the machine and shooting the damaged sides they made.

Mattis let out breathe of relief till he heard an explosion, relieving Connar just finished the other abductor. The three sinners separated to find the materials and returned to the transport.

Inside Connar looked over the list, with everything a counted for he crumpled up the paper and tossed it.

...

The group return to zakka, finding Julien in his usual spot. Connar pulls he items out of his jacket, handing them to the citizen. "We got what you wanted."

"Thank you. These will allow me to disrupt the sensors in the sector you're headed for, and hopefully keep you out of trouble."

"Thank you for your help Julien." Said Alice.

"I'm going to head to my workshop and get things in order. It won't take long, so feel free to head over to the cell garden. It's never good to keep a lady waiting... Oh, a word of warning: since your last escapade, they've put a lot more guards on patrol."

Connar waved his hand to dismiss the argument. "I'll be going in alone, just make sure this goes well."

"Are you going?" Asked Mattis.

"Because I'm the only one here to be a proven thief. Now are there anymore questions, or can we begin?"

Mattis threw his hands up as Connar walked away. "What's up with that guy?! Why is he so interested in saving some girl from On High?"

"Maybe Connar's from On High too?" Alice was getting curious about Connar as well and fallowed him.

...

Connar returned to the code 2 cell block, with Alice right behind him. "You sure you can do this?"

The thief ajusted his sleeves as he looked at the garden enterance. "I got this." Connar gave Alice a grin and a thumbs up as he went to the terminal. After he pressed a few buttons his accessory chimed in.

"Entry to this sector of the general purpose movable cell-"

"Shut the hell up!" Connar pulled back on his left sleeve, there was a metal device on his arm, under his wrist. Connar moved his hand back and a thin five inch metal blade shot out of the device.

Connar thrusted the blade into the accessory's neck, shuting it down. The sinner relaxed his hand and blade retacted. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that."

Alice stepped back from Conner in suprise. The thief noticed this and extended the blade again. "Like my hidden blade? It's good for close in counters and if you want to kill someone really badly." Connar took off his jacket, revealing the hidden blade on his right arm as well.

"Don't let anyone else in, I'll be back with the girl."

...

Inside the garden Connar crept through the halls, at the he found a room with a pair of accessories walkimg back and forth. When the turned their back Connar quickly and quitely snuck up on them and put both his hidden blades through their necks.

In the next area Connar hid behind a large pillar in the center of the room. He looked around and saw and accessory walking away, Connar knocked on the wall till the machine stopped at turned back to him.

On the other side of the pillar another accessory came around, spoting the sinner. Connar tired to stab the accessory but it cought his arm before the blade reached its throat.

The accessory put up its jand to bind Connar, the thief grabbed the its arm and pointed it up. Connar swung thw accessory around and slammed it into the pillar, stabbing it in the back of the neck.

The accessory Connar lured to him showed up and put out its hand. Connar swung the body around to block the accessory binder and puched the body at it. After the accessory shoved the broken machine aside Connar thrusted his hidden blades through the neck then kneed it away.

The next room was an accessory stood right in front of Connar, the sinner immediately went to stabbed it. The caught his hand with both of its but Connar just stabbed it in the neck with his other blade and dragged it around the door way.

The inside was a narrow hallway with an accessory walking away from him. This time kicked off the walls to get higher then used the momentum to go forward. When he was over the accessory his shadow caused it to turn get a blade through the forehead.

In the last room Connar saw the door that Alice deceived that held the girl, waited a moment and a pair of accessories walked in from the sides, looked left, then right, and finally turned back.

Connar waited a couple of minutes for the accessories to come back, looking back a few times to make sure he wasn't fallowed. When the accessories came back Connar ran towards them. The robots turned to the sounds of footsteps and blades put through their necks.

The sinner ran for the door, as nothing stood in his way. The final door opened up as one more accessory stood in his way, Connar grabbed the machine by the shoulder and stabbed it in the chest while not slowing down. Inside Connar pushed the accessory off the lit path, letting it fall into the dark abyss.

All the cameras in the dark room turned to Connar but no alarm was raised, as Connar dashed to the center. Where the girl was still tied up with purple thorns.

_"So, this is the one who will show me true freedom? This Panopticon must really hate On High if their keeping just one person like this." _ The thief started cut the thorns with his hidden blade while pulling it off. _ "If it means getting me out of this nightmare, I'm fine with some anarchy."_

When enough thorns were removed the rest just decentagrated, dropping the girl into Connar's arms. She opened her eyes, showing they were the same sandy color as her hair. "Are you...? Have you...?" She lleaned back to rest her hands on Connar's face. "You came to rescue me..."

Connar took her hands and quickly lowered them. "What do you know about the great transfromation?!"

The two were interrupted by a loud machine sound. The girl stood up, seemingly to know the sound. "That sound... It is a will'o engine... One of ours."

"What is it?!"

"Retribution..."

"Now?! Of all times, now? Alright, get on my back." The sinner turned around, the girl put her arms around his neck while he picks up her legs. "If you're right I'm not dying under rubble when this place stars coming down."

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Please review it keeps us writers going, till next time CG out. Peace!


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